Adaptor for live spindle



June 12, 1962 H JOST 3,038,675

ADAPTOR FOR LIVE SPINDLE Filed Feb. 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS nited States Paent 3,033,675 ADAPTOR FOR LIVE SPINDLE Harold R. Jost, Toiedo, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Johns-Manville Fiber Glass Inc, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 718,238 3 Claims. (Cl. 24246.4)

This invention relates broadly to an adaptor for a live spindle such as is used in the textile industry to rotate a bobbin or spool. More specifically, it relates to a spindle adaptor for positively engaging the bobbin and wherein the engaging means on said spindle yield when the driving means on the spool are in conflicting or interfering relation to the driving means on the spindle.

Driving means between a live spindle and a spool or bobbin, as used in the textile trade, fall into two main categories, namely those in frictional engagement and those in mechanical engagement. Both are generally pro vided with self-centering means. Those falling in the first category do not provide for positive engagement of the spool by the spindle and there is a tendency for the spool to slip on the spindle, particularly when starting or stopping the rotation thereof. This slippage varies the winding tension and may result in rejection of the package. Those in mechanical engagement have rigid cooperating mechanical driving means which are adequate and satisfactory when the spool is placed on the spindle with the driving means in proper register. Iowever, in commercial operations, unless great care is exercised, a certain percentage of spools will be placed on the spindle with the driving means in abutting relationship, and since the spool is made of a frangible material, it is frequently broken by such contact. Also, when the driving means are rigidly mounted, they are susceptible to being moved out of engaging position by such contact. Furthermore, the spool may be permitted to ride upon the upper surface of the driving means and be out of register with the traversing mechanism.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a live spindle and a spool therefor that is self-centering.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adaptor for a live spindle wherein the driving means connecting the bobbin to the spindle is in positive mechanical engagement.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an adaptor for a live spindle wherein the positive driving means on the adaptor are yieldably mounted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the invention with parts in section;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 1.

by the belt to rotate the spindle. A shaft 15 extends from the end of the pulley section 14 on an axis that is common to the shank 13 and the pulley 14. A pair of identical spool-shaped detent support members 16 and 17 are spaced along the shaft 15 and each are held in position by a set screw 18. Three or more detents 1? may be equally spaced radially with respect to each member 17 and resiliently mounted in any conventional manner as to thrust outwardly. The lead edge of each detent 19 is tapered toward the periphery of the spool for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. A pair of lugs 20 are attached to the shaft 15 and to the adjacent face of the pulley 14 in diametrically opposed relation to each other.

The adaptor 11 is comprised of a circular metal disclike body 21 and a retainer plate 22 of the same diameter, both with a circular hole 23 cut through at the center of the circle and with slots 24 extending through the thickness of the body 21 and the retainer plate 22 outwardly in diametrically opposed directions from the central hole 23. The hole 23 and the slots 24 are adapted to respectively receive the shaft 15 and the lugs 20 to frictionally hold the adaptor in driving relationship with the spindle 13.

A pair of circular openings 25 are drilled through the body 21 at diametrically opposed points on a common radius and are counterbored as at 26 from the pulley side. A pair of driving pins 27 each comprised of a body portion 28 slightly smaller in diameter than the openings 25 and a head 29 slightly smaller in diameter than the counterbore 26, is placed with the head 29 within a counterbore 26 and the body portion projecting through an opening 25 into space. A spring 30 is nested in each of the openings 25 behind the heads 29 of the pins 27 and is held in compression by the plate 22 fastened by screws 31 to the body 21.

The spool or bobbin 12 is generally molded of a plastic material having a hard and smooth surface, but which is susceptible to breakage by a sharp impact such as may be encountered when rapidly placing a spool on the spindle. The spool 12 is comprised of an elongated tubular body 32 terminating in outwardly extending flanges 33 and 34 having a circular projection 35 disposed in concentric relationship to the exposed ends of the tube 32 and flush therewith to form an annular cup shaped depression 36 open at the extremities of the bobbin. Four ribs 37 bridge the annular depression 36 between the tube 32 and the projection 35 of the flange 33 and cooperate with the driving pins 27 in a manner to be hereinafter described. The tube 32 has a thickened wall section 38 adjacent the flange 34- provided with an internal recess 39 inscribed a short distance from the end of the tube within bore 49 adapted to receive a product identification disc or label 41.

The operation of the above described apparatus is quite simple and of necessity the operation must be thus to expedite removal of a filled bobbin and replacing it with an empty bobbin without taking particular care to engage the bobbin with the driving means. When such replacement of the bobbin 12 is required, rotation of the spindle 10 is halted, the yarn is severed and the end of the yarn that is wound on the bobbin is secured thereto. An empty bobbin 12 is slid over the detents 17 and 1 with the end carrying the flange 33 engaging the detents in that order. The detents 19 center the spool 12 upon the spindle 10 by exerting an equally distributed diverging force upon the bore 40. In the majority of cases, the driving pins 27 associated with the adaptor 11 will enter the annular depression 36 between the ribs 37 and as the spindle 10 is rotated in either direction the driving pins 27 are moved into contact with a pair of diametrically opposed ribs 37 to form the aforementioned cooperating mechanical dnving means, which is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. How- 3 ever, if the ribs 37 are positioned in interfering relation to the driving pins 27, the springs 30 yield and the body portion 28 of the pins 27 is pushed by the contacting pair of ribs 37 flush with the face of the adaptor 11. A slight twist of the spool 12 in either direction will displace the ribs 37 from contact with the driving pins 27 which will then be returned by the springs 30 to their extended position and with the free ends of the pins'27 within the annular depression 36 and positioned to engage a pair of ribs 37 when the spindle is rotated in either direction.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, but that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus comprising a live spindle having a central axis of rotation and including a shaft having in ascending order a shank adapted to be received in a bearing, a pulley axially mounted on said shaft adjacent said shank and detent means spaced from said pulley, said pulley having lug means projecting radially from a face thereof adjacent said detent means, a bobbin having flanged ends, a plurality of diametrically opposed ribs projecting from the outer face of at least one of said flanges and extending radially with respect to said axis, the improvement comprising an adaptor including a body portion and a cover joined by screws to one face of said body, said body and said cover being provided with means defining a central opening adapted to engage said shaft and lug means, means defining a pair of bores penetrating the surface of said body that is remote from said pulley in diametrically opposed spaced relation to said axis, said means also defining a counterbore in axial alignment with each of said bores partially penetrating said body from the surface adjacent said pulley, said cover closing said counterbores to form cavities, driving means projecting through each of said bores and terminating above the surface of said adaptor to impart a rotational force upon the side of at least one of the ribs on said bobbin, each of said driving means having a headed portion confined within a cavity, and compressible means confined within each of said cavities and exerting a prejecting force upon the head of its respective means.

2. In apparatus comprising a live spindle having an axis of rotation, a frangible bobbin having flanged ends, spaced projections extending from the outer face of one of said flanges and extending radially with respect to said axis, and detent means on said spindle adapted to retain said bobbin thereon in concentric relation with said axis, the improvement comprising, in combination: an adaptor having a wall portion defining a slot; lug means on said spindle cooperating with the slotted wall portion to revolve said adaptor with said spindle; driving means extending from a face of said adaptor and being radially displaced from said axis and being adapted to engage at least one of said projections to revolve said bobbin in unison with said adaptor; and resilient means cooperatively associated with said driving means in a manner whereby the driving means will yield longitudinally when in edge relation with the lower face of said projections.

3. In combination, a live spindle having an am's of rotation, at bobbin having frangible flanges, at least one of said flanges having an annular depression and rib portions extending radially from said axis and within said depression, each of said rib portions having a lower face, body means mounted on said spindle for rotation therewith, and driving pins extending from a face of said body means, said driving pins having a lateral surface parallel to said axis, said surface engaging a rib portion of said one flange when in driving position to rotate said bobbin with said spindle, said driving means being resiliently mounted and yielding in a direction parallel to said axis upon abutment with the lower face of said rib portions.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 400,864 Lund Apr. 2, 1889 516,332 Homer Mar. 13, 1894 993,377 Hyde May 30, 1911 998,615 Huneke July 25, 1911 1,021,626 Peirce Mar. 26, 1912 1,523,724 Schweiter Jan. 20, 1925 2,219,868 Hambleton Oct. 29, 1940 2,558,837 Frei July 3, 1951 2,778,245 Thornton Jan. 22, 1957 

